<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Confidante by EuphoricMother</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23174974">The Confidante</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EuphoricMother/pseuds/EuphoricMother'>EuphoricMother</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Heart-to-Heart, Kissing, M/M, Talking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:53:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,562</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23174974</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EuphoricMother/pseuds/EuphoricMother</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Byleth had lost the one person that he could talk to about anything when his father was killed.  Filling that void had not been a priority, and yet, he needed it.  Needed it for his own sanity.  In steps Yuri, ready to fill that void.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc &amp; My Unit | Byleth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Confidante</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, Yuri-bird.”</p>
<p>“Hapi.”  Yuri looked up from his book and lifted a brow.  “You look like you have something on your mind.  Do tell.”</p>
<p>“I noticed Chatterbox is slumming down here with us.”</p>
<p>“And this is unusual because?  I mean, he usually pops in and out here and there.”   Hapi didn’t move.   Yuri closed his book to direct his attention to her, now folding her arms over her chest.  “I know you are going somewhere with this news flash so just get to the damn point.”</p>
<p>“He isn’t down here just walking around and checking things out like supplies or talking to anybody, he’s just sitting off by himself, in a corner, in the library.”</p>
<p>“So, he has found a book or two.  Nothing unusual about that.  He was a professor before this war business took over.”</p>
<p>Hapi frowned now.  “You don’t get it.  He isn’t reading a book.  He is just sitting there.”  She lifted her hand in gesture.  “He didn’t even seem to notice when I walked into the room and lit a candle just to get enough light to be sure I wasn’t seeing things.”</p>
<p>“Interesting.”  Yuri set his book aside and stood.  “Though, I am sure he knew you were there.  Just didn’t interact for some reason,” he finished in a slow tone as his mind pondered this fact.  “Interest piqued.”  He started to the door.  “I will go see if he’s still there.”</p>
<p>Byleth heaved a sigh as he sat in the silence of the library.  He found he rather liked the Abyss for its lack of constant interruption.  Gilbert, Seteth, Rodrigue, nor Cyril ventured down here to find him to remind him that Rhea needed to be found, the Kingdom was in need of their king, help Dimitri come back from the edge, the list went on.  It was just quiet and allowed him to escape for a bit to filter through the many thoughts in his head.  Contrary to popular belief, he did have his own thoughts to deal with not just theirs.</p>
<p>His eyes dropped down to stare at a gouge in the wooden surface of the table.  If he hadn’t come back after awakening from his five-year slumber, where would he be and what would he be doing?  Fighting with the old merc group?  He frowned, where was it he actually belonged?  Damn, it was times like this he wished Jeralt was there.  A quick conversation with his father would have all of this mess sorted out and in perspective.  He wouldn’t feel like just a big pawn in this game of war.</p>
<p>The footsteps breaking the quiet in the room were fairly light and steady, unlike the halting steps made by Hapi when he sensed she ventured in.  Byleth’s hands moved on the table, his fingertips lightly pressing together make a triangle as he decided it was Yuri approaching.  </p>
<p>“Hello, friend,” Yuri greeted as he moved around the table and pulled up a chair.  “What brings you down here to a darkened corner of our Abyss?”  He sat down to Byleth’s right rather than directly across from him.</p>
<p>Green eyes lifted from his fingers as he slowly turned his head to look at Yuri.  The young man was patiently watching him with his violet eyes and waiting for an answer.  “Would it sound particularly ridiculous if I said I was looking for an escape?”  </p>
<p>A perfect brow arched.  “Not ridiculous, but I am very curious about what you are escaping from?  Ghosts in your head like the tormented prince that paces the cathedral?”</p>
<p>The hint of a sad smile lifted one corner of Byleth’s mouth.  “The ghost in my head is the goddess,” he said in a near whisper.  Clearing his throat, he said, “As the leader of this group here, Yuri, haven’t you ever felt as if everyone wants something from you, yet no one ever takes the time to see that you may need something, too?”  His lips compressed now.  “That isn’t even what I really think is infiltrating my head,” he finished in irritation.  </p>
<p>Yuri regarded Byleth carefully for a long moment.  It was clear that this was a man that wasn’t at all used to conversations that were not based in battle tactics, weapons, and statistical training.  Perhaps, he considered for a moment, this was the problem.  “I don’t know what everyone else wants, but I can tell you, friend, that all I want from you, at the moment, is simple conversation.  Hell, it doesn’t even have to make much sense.”</p>
<p>Byleth stared down at his fingers again, pressing them together hard enough to flex his fingers flat together, cracking his knuckles before relaxing them again.  “I just get tired of being talked AT all the time.”  He looked at Yuri.  “Everyone seems to just be in the habit of talking at me instead of to me.  There isn’t any…” his words halted as his head slowly shook.</p>
<p>“Personal interaction?”</p>
<p>Green eyes widened a moment.  That was it in plain language.  “Is that wrong?” he asked as he turned his head to look at Yuri again.</p>
<p>Yuri lightly chuckled.  “No, that is not wrong.”  His eyes swept over the face looking at him as if he thought Yuri had all the right answers.  Light green hair was tousled about his head as if he had pushed both hands through it mussing it up, and yet, it looked perfect in that moment.  “Everyone needs to have at least one person they can bare their thoughts and feelings to.  One person to confide in, trust in, and know is always there for them.”</p>
<p>“Hmmmm, my person for all of that was killed,” he said quietly as his eyes dropped again and studied the marks on the tabletop near where his hands rested.  “Happens, but filling that void, for me, is not so simple.”</p>
<p>“Isn’t it?”  Yuri moved in his chair and reached his hand out, putting it over Byleth’s.  “It can be, if you look in the right place.”  His fingers tightened, ever so slightly around Byleth’s as he looked at him.  “Sometimes, the answer is so close, you just can’t see it.”</p>
<p>Byleth’s brows drew together as he considered Yuri’s words. Turning his hand, just a bit, he closed his fingers over Yuri’s.  “You make it sound so simple.”  A sigh passed his lips.  “Sometimes, it’s a heavy burden to carry the load of the Demon.”</p>
<p>“Says the Demon to the Savage.”  Yuri slightly chuckled.  “The Demon and the Savage.  Sounds pretty damn poetic, if you ask me.”</p>
<p>A slight smile curled Byleth’s lips as he considered the nicknames these two managed to be pegged with.  “I want to be normal, you know?”</p>
<p>The chuckle that erupted from Yuri drew Byleth’s attention, and he smiled as he looked at him.  “What the hell is normal?” Yuri posed.  “Perhaps, there is no such thing, my friend.”  He continued to hold Byleth’s hand while his other hand dropped from the table to lay on his thigh.  “I believe what you really mean is that you want to feel that you matter to someone for a reason other than a warrior with a weapon.”   His fingers slowly moved on his thigh while his eyes locked on to Byleth’s.  “That there is a real person behind the skilled warrior fighting for those against the Empire.”</p>
<p>“You actually understand what I am trying to get someone, anyone to understand.”  Bright green eyes looked through the low candle light at the elegant face smiling at him as his head slowly nodded.  “I don’t constantly want to be the one with all the answers when I have so many questions of my own,” he said quietly.</p>
<p>Byleth swallowed as he stared into the eyes, beautifully fringed with dark lashes, looking at him.  His eyes dropped to his lips a moment before lifting back to those captivating eyes.  Unable to stop himself, he leaned toward him, lightly pressing his lips to Yuri’s before drawing back and dropping his head to look down as he bit the inside of his lower lip.  “Sorry,” he said softly.</p>
<p>“Really?  I’m sure not.”</p>
<p>Byleth smiled.  “No?”  He slowly turned his head to look at Yuri, smiling back at him.  </p>
<p>Yuri slowly shook his head as he lifted his hand to Byleth’s shoulder before trailing it around to his nape to pull him back in.  As their lips moved together, Byleth’s arm moved around Yuri to hold him closer, just for a moment before they separated.  A smile stretched Yuri’s mouth now.  “I will be the one you can come to for anything you need or want.  Anytime.  Anywhere.  All you need do is ask.”</p>
<p>The last thing he expected was to have the one man he seemed to be drawn to, feeling anything for him at all.  Now there seemed that, maybe, there was someone that just might be able to fill the void he has been feeling for too long.   “Perhaps, later?”</p>
<p>Yuri stood and leaned in to whisper in Byleth’s ear, “Leave your door unlocked.  I will most certainly be there.”  He turned his head just enough to brush his lips over the corner of Byleth’s mouth.  “Count on it.”</p>
<p>Byleth watched him walk away, his lavender cape ruffling behind him, feeling much better than he had when he sat down in the dark, and looking forward to later.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>